Backgrounds
The pink-on-pink background seen on the left of your screen is based on the fake rock or "flagcrete," so often used in Modern and Googie buildings. An illustration in Alan Hess' book, Googie: Coffee Shop Architecture, was used for inspiration.
The background in the header bar is based on "Skylark," a popular Formica pattern introduced during the 1950s. The pattern, which was later renamed "Boomerang," was designed for Formica by Brook Stevens Associates. It is still occasionally manufactured by Formica in a variety of colors.
An early ad for Skylark reads...
"The intriguing multicolor design of this unique new Formica pattern marks still another Formica 'first.' Not only is the pattern completely different but the multicolored technique by which it is produced has never before been offered in a decorative laminate. Available and saleable in seven proven color combinations."
Fonts
Most of the body type on this site is Verdana. The other predominant fonts are Martini At Joe's and Potrzebie. The previous version of this site also utilized two other shareware fonts: Cheap Motel and Ad Lib.
Click here to learn how Steve Mehallo created Martini At Joe's. Steve put in a lot of time and research in order to capture the Googie style perfectly.
Potrezebie is a freeware font designed by Patrick Broderick at RotoDesign. Patrick says, "This font is useful for making any project seem happy and jumpy. Use Potrzebie to give a little extra zip to condolence cards, eviction notices, ransom notes, termination notices, etc."
Software & Hardware
The current incarnation of Googie Architecture Online was built in Microsoft's FrontPage 2000. Graphics editing was done with Paint Shop Pro. No Macs were even peripherally involved.